#460 - Level Up Your Mind and Body with Xtraclub Founders Anthony, James & Simon

Today’s episode is one I've been so excited to share with you because we're talking about something that has transformed how I feel, think and show up in my life.

If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, mentally cluttered or simply craving more energy and clarity, this episode is for you.

I’m joined by the founders of XTRA Club, Anthony, James and Simon, who are bringing Nordic wellness culture to Australia in the most beautiful and accessible way through traditional saunas, steam rooms, infrared saunas and cold immersion.

What I love most about this conversation is that it’s about creating space for yourself. Space to think clearly. Space to reset your nervous system. Space to reconnect with your body and your dreams.

Personally, I've become completely obsessed with sauna and cold immersion.

Every time I walk out of a session, I feel energised, inspired and mentally clear. I honestly feel like I’ve had two coffees without the crash.

In this episode, we dive into:

  • The science-backed health benefits of sauna and cold immersion
  • Why contrast therapy can improve your energy, mood, focus and recovery
  • How creating moments without screens can spark creativity and clarity

We also talk about courage, starting before you feel ready, taking risks and creating a life and business aligned with your values.

If you’ve been curious about saunas, ice baths or simply creating more calm and energy in your life, I know you’ll get so much from this conversation.

As always, I’d LOVE to hear what resonated most with you - so please share and let’s keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here.    

Have a wonderful week …and remember, it all starts with a dream 💛

Dream Life & kikki.K Founder

P.S. If you’re ready for guided support, it's a brilliant month to start with me as your mentor in Dream Life Coaching.

 

SHOW NOTES:

RESOURCES:

TRANSCRIPT:

[00:01:22] Kristina: Hi there, and welcome back to your Dream Life podcast. I am so happy you are here today. today I wanna talk to you about something I have become genuinely obsessed with, and something I believe everyone needs to hear about.

[00:01:38] Because today, we are going to talk about rest, recovery, and clarity in a different way. the research that has come out lately on this is incredible. My guests today are the founders of Extra Club, Anthony, James, and Simon. and they have brought Nordic sauna, steam, ice bath, [00:02:00] and infrared sauna culture to Australia in the most magical way.

[00:02:05] And what they have created is really extraordinary. This is not a spa. This is not a wellness retreat. This is a performance tool for your mind, your body, your energy, and your clarity. And I want you to really hear this conversation because I think by the end of it, you'll be asking yourself the same question I did: Why did I wait so long to start this?

[00:02:31] So, let's get right into it.

[00:02:39] All right. Well, welcome Anthony, James, and Simon to my podcast. I am so excited to have you here.

[00:02:46] Anthony: Thanks for having us.

[00:02:47] Simon: you.

[00:02:48] Kristina: So I am

[00:02:49] really, really excited about your business. So I'd love for one of you to just really talk about how it got started.

[00:02:58] Anthony: Yeah, I think the o-origin story started here where I'm sitting right now, actually, in, in my office. So it was about three and a bit years ago, maybe almost four now, where I was, um, really in an un-unhealthy way. you know, I have a se-sedentary job. I, I'm a coder. I write a lot of code I work long hours and, you know, I was 130 kilos at the time.

[00:03:21] and I needed to find a way to, to stimulate my health and wellness again. And sauna's always been something I've loved. I've been lucky enough to grow up going on holidays and enjoying a sauna when I was a kid. And, as I got older, it's something I really looked forward to. So while I was sitting in this office being like, "Okay, I gotta do something about it," I started looking for a sauna that I could go to, that was open late, so I could go after work or go before work.

[00:03:47] Um, so you know, that maximal kind of convenience. But also that was not ridiculously priced, so that I could go two or three times a week. and there was nothing out there. And I remember I was having a phone call [00:04:00] with, uh, a few of the, the providers around the area, and I said, "Look, I'd, I'd love to be just...

[00:04:06] I'd love to pay you a weekly fee and come two or three times a week." And the last one phone call that I had, she said, "Good luck," you know, "Good luck finding something." Uh, she said it nicely, right? But it just, it's just those words on that call that struck, that s- stick with me because as soon as that, that came through, I went to the whiteboard and I was like, "Oh my God, there's a massive gap here."

[00:04:26] and being entrepreneurial all my life and working for myself pretty much all my life, it just took a life of its own 'cause it was so clear that there was a, there was an opportunity here. And that afternoon I texted James, 'cause James and I have been in business for a long time.

[00:04:41] I texted James, "Extra. All the extras you wish your gym had." and it was sauna, ice bath and steam room, at that time, uh, 'cause I added in the ice bath thing after doing a little bit of research 'cause I'd never ice bathed before. and then, uh, you know, he, he wrote back being, "I love it." and the whole idea kind of evolved from there to be self-serve, uh, and that really comes from, our nature of being engineers and software designers, that we could build an experience that enabled you to come any time, stay as long as you want, as often as you want.

[00:05:13] Kristina: I absolutely love it. So, uh, just for context, my story is very similar. I had a, a bit of an injury and then I lo- I looked for a place for sauna. So I grew up with saunas, but never really liked the ice bath thing. But I, I, I'm into health and wellness, and I, um, I knew that this would be really good. So I, I booked in and did two, two weeks of, um, of sauna and, um, cold plunges.

[00:05:41] And every time I walked out, I felt like I had two coffees. I love coffee. And I just felt so amazing. And then I was, like, thinking... And, you know, it's funny 'cause I, I got home every time I'm like, "Oh my gosh, this is so good." and my partner said, "I think you should continue that," because I came home [00:06:00] always so positive and excited with lots of new ideas.

[00:06:03] and then I looked at the price and I was like, you know, if you're adding up like, you know, you know, my yoga membership, gym membership, all the things that we wanna do, it was just another... I was like, "This is too, it's just too much for, for that." Uh, and then when you guys opened here, I, I, I felt like I love Manly to start with.

[00:06:22] I don't think, I didn't think Manly could get any better, but now it is. So I am just so thrilled to have you here.

[00:06:29] Anthony: Yeah. Thank you. Uh, James, I don't know if you wanna add anything to that story, but I mean, it, you know, the big part of it being the affordable luxury, as you touch on is a huge part of our value proposition.

[00:06:40] James: Yeah, I mean, self-serve sauna, $9 was where it started. That's what was written on the whiteboard. And, uh, it's not quite nine bucks, but, um, it's pretty, pretty damn close, to be honest. and obviously it's walking the line of affordability whilst also delivering like a really high quality experience. yeah, pretty, pretty proud of what we've created there. You know, we're not-- usually you associate a, an affordable price tag with a, um, lesser experience, but I think what we've created is both the leading experience in Sydney, in Australia for sauna and ice bath, but also at a fraction of the cost of, of the market.

[00:07:24] And that's-- it feels great being in a position where you can, um, offer that to, to the people, to the community. Um, because like yourself, we hear so many stories of people who come to Extra regularly, and it's helped their physical health and their mental health and, You know, it's, it's, yeah, it's very fulfilling to be able to, to give that to, to the community.

[00:07:49] Kristina: Yeah, absolutely. And I, I agree because with, with the, the affordable price tag, I did not expect it to be so amazing in terms of I, you know, I [00:08:00] love design, so it w- it's just beautifully done. And, uh, and also I'm a bit of an introvert, so I, I like not too many people, so at the same time. So, um, but you know, I also have flexibility to go when it's a bit quieter and not in peak times, which I love that that is an option as well for people who do wanna go kind of different times and have that flexibility.

[00:08:22] So I think you nailed it on so many fronts and, and, and your people has been nothing but extraordinary as well. So, um, it's been a really, really beautiful experience. That's why I wanted to have you on the podcast because I feel like, uh, more, more people, um, need to hear about this, and I'm sure you're gonna expand.

[00:08:39] Do you wanna talk a little bit about your expansion or have you got a plan?

[00:08:42] Simon: Yeah, so we've obviously got Bondi Junction, which is our first location. We've now got Green Square, which we opened second, Marrickville, and now Mamdy, which was just opened on Wednesday, so a week ago tomorrow. we've also got in the pipeline for Parramatta to start in June and our first interstate location in Canberra to start in July.

[00:09:06] That's start construction and typically, you know, It, takes about three months from starting construction to, to opening indoors. Uh, we're also looking at other locations in Greater Sydney. Um, James is going up to, to, to Brisbane on Thursday, so we're looking to, you know, what, what's next from a, from a...

[00:09:23] within Australia. But James is also going over to the USA, um, on Sunday to try and scope out locations there. Um, you know, we do have big growth aspirations for the business, and we've got four locations and opened Bondi Junction only two years and yeah, looking not just, within New South Wales, also interstate and, and also hopefully international would, would be our goal to definitely get one in the United States next year, as well as still trying to grow within Australia

[00:09:53] Anthony: it goes to our, um, original strategy for the brand, which is by creating an affordable [00:10:00] luxury, uh, that is, uh, accessible. We-- What we wanted to do was ultimately create a call to arms that it's now time to demand that these services are available to everybody. And when we say available to everybody, we wanna be in every state, and we wanna be in every country that, um, that needs access to sauna, ice bath, and steam, and on their terms.

[00:10:23] So, it's pretty amazing that in two years we're scoping out, um, international opportunities. Uh, but it go-- it's a testament to the fact that we touched on s- touched on a nerve, a latent demand that was there, And, uh, our aspirations are also tempered by, you know, practical, applications of that, but we are really trying to find, uh, cast our net as wide as possible.

[00:10:49] Kristina: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So, so inspiring. As, as an entrepreneur who scaled globally, I, I can just feel the excitement, so I'm really, really, um, excited for you guys. love to talk a little bit about the benefits of all the offerings. So do you wanna start with, um, with sauna? So that's been...

[00:11:07] There's so much science behind that now and so much research done, and I think it's hasin- it has its kind of moment now where, where we in Scandinavia have done that f- I feel forever, but especially here I feel like it's s- I don't know when it started, but it feels like everyone is doing it now, which is a great, um, addition to everyone's health and wellbeing.

[00:11:28] So I'd love to talk about the benefits and why the listeners should consider first g- find an Xtra Club if they can and if they can't, they will soon. And then, um, and then why they should be doing it.

[00:11:42] James: Yeah, sure. Like Finnish sauna is definitely the most studied, I'd say, of the three and, uh, has a lot of, uh, proven health benefits, peer-reviewed health benefits. Probably the one that we talk about the most is [00:12:00] a, uh, study done by Dr. Rhonda Patrick in the US. It's been a while since I've dug up the data on this, but it was a 20-year study across, I think a couple thousand people, and they, um, tracked those people using sauna for different cadences a week.

[00:12:19] Um, so they were tracking people using sau- not using a sauna at all, or using it twice a week or up to five times a week. And what they found is that the people who saunad five times a week for 15 minutes each session had a 40% decrease in their chance of, um, dying from all-cause mortality, which is essentially like heart disease, cancer, um, a bunch of like common diseases that take lives.

[00:12:45] So there's a 40% decrease in, in your chance of, of dying from these common, um, diseases, which is huge. I mean, it's a, it's a crazy start, an amazing start. So that's one definitely to hang, hang our hat on from a sauna perspective. But essentially like the sauna is equivalent of going for a really light jog.

[00:13:07] It gets your heart beating. Um, you know, the intense heat, Makes your heart move, um, which promotes cardiovascular health. alongside, you know, those key benefits are, increased blood circulation. improves like your, your skin. there are-- there's really, there's so much to it. Um, but some of those, those are, those are some of the key ones.

[00:13:27] Kristina: Yeah. Yeah. So when I, I read that study and I was, I was blown away because in today's world, we all want quick fix, fixes, and there is not, you know, 40% reduction. I don't know if there's any drugs out there. perhaps exercise, uh, could, um, could be at the same, but it's, uh...

[00:13:47] Which is also obviously not a drug. But, um, and now having that as a, really affordable one, I don't, I don't know if there's anything, any research that is more, uh, encouraging to actually start if people haven't started yet. [00:14:00] So I'm curious, so she talks about 15, uh, or the study talks about 15 minutes.

[00:14:05] What's your recommendation? because I, I love it. So you guys have, uh, been doing s-sauna for quite a while, but, um, uh, I've been studying it. People sitting in there, you know, people go in and out, and some people sit for a long time. And, and what's your, what's your recommendation for people who getting started to, to kind of get, get, get it?

[00:14:25] 'Cause it's, it's, um, it's not always easy to go in and just sit for 30 minutes to start with if you're new.

[00:14:31] James: No, I think the recommendation is to listen to your body, number one. That's, that's got to be, you know, the most important piece of, um, advice. Uh, don't, don't push yourself. It's not like, exercising, running, uh, weightlifting, where the gains are through pushing yourself. Uh, it's through, um, spending time in the sauna, and it can be just five minutes, multiple rounds of five minutes, for example, if that's where you need to start.

[00:14:57] Uh, you wanna try and get to around 20 minutes in your session, between 15 and 20 minutes in your session as a, as a minimum or as a goal, I would say. Um, but it doesn't have to all, all be at once. There's no, Yeah, you don't win any prizes by, by pushing yourself too far, and it can, it can go wrong. So that's why, yeah, we always recommend to listen to your body.

[00:15:17] Anthony: I think that's aligned a lot as well with what, you know, you're seeing, in the kind of macro trend around health and, and fitness now is, is that more people are talking about consistency that delivers outcome. and you're seeing fewer people do things like, you know, 12-week body challenges and things like that.

[00:15:35] and that's true of sauna. It's true of as true of exercise, is that you need a plan. Uh, you need to work yourself up to, the level of exhaustion that you're able to take because it is exhausting being in the sauna. and you wanna listen to your body and over time extend the amount of time that you're spending in, in the sauna.

[00:15:53] Kristina: Yeah. Yeah. So, um, I, I'm assuming you get this question a lot. What's the difference between a [00:16:00] Finnish sauna or a, traditional sauna and a infrared sauna?

[00:16:06] Anthony: Fire away, James

[00:16:08] James: one. Finnish sauna sits at 90 degrees Celsius and around between 15% and 20% humidity. a more intense heat and, uh, really gets your heart working. And, yeah, it's, it's intensity is, is the thing, like kinda the key characteristic of Finnish sauna, intense heat. Infrared sauna sits around-- ours sit around 70 degrees Celsius.

[00:16:30] You're heated in a different way. So like the Finnish sauna is ambient heat around your body, um, whereas, um, infrared sauna is penetrative heat and heats you from within. so it kind of interacts with the molecules of water inside your skin, which causes heat from within as opposed from heat from outside.

[00:16:51] It takes a lot longer for an infrared sauna to heat you up as opposed to a Finnish sauna. And, uh, yeah, I think for people who maybe aren't as practiced in sauna, infrared sauna is a great place to start, uh, because it's less intense as opposed to the Finnish saunas maybe for more experienced users and a more intense heat.

[00:17:11] It's also, uh, infrared sauna has more of a skin benefit, kind of, uh, health benefit, as opposed to the Finnish saunas is more about the heart. So yeah, those are some of the key differences.

[00:17:22] Kristina: then let's move d- on to steam. I love a steam room. So wh- what's the benefits of a steam?

[00:17:32] James: Steam room is really good for your respiratory system. It's like you're, you're breathing steam through your nose and through your mouth, which, um, clears your airways. I don't know if you ever did this, but as a kid, if I ever had a cold, my mom used to get me to inhale steam, um, as a, as a way to, to help with the flu.

[00:17:51] Uh, so that's-- It sits at 45 degrees and it's, and it's like 90% to 100% humidity, so that's the other really key difference. [00:18:00] It's a much lower temperature but feels very hot. Obviously, when it's more humid, it feels hotter. Uh, it clears out your skin pores more than the Finnish sauna or the infrared sauna.

[00:18:12] Um, so you'll often find if you like, once you leave the steam room, your skin will be really soft. And yeah, so the-- it's, it's also a cardiovascular workout because it's, it's also quite an intense heat As opposed to the infrared, you know. So it's kind of like in terms of intensity, you've got Finnish sauna, then steam room, then infrared sauna.

[00:18:31] Kristina: Yeah, fantastic. And then let's t- let's talk about, cold immersions. Um, the, the-- that's the one that I, I never ever thought that I would love it. Uh, even, you know, um, even swimming here, which is, you know, for most people great temperatures. But I was-- I never re- I like warm water, so the 28 plus water.

[00:18:55] So that was like I never actually thought I was going to, to love it. So talk about I now am addicted and I think, I'm sure love it. know, a lot of people talk about ice bath, but I think, uh, and hating it, which I did too. But I think once you get really hot in a, in a traditional sauna, it's kind of like you just can't wait to get in there, and also you get used to it.

[00:19:19] So what I did when I did my first two weeks before you guys opened was to, um, just start really, like just dip really quickly and then I just, every time I visited I just extended the time a little bit. So I started really, really quick and probably with, so little that it, I don't know if it had made, y- it definitely had, uh, made an impact.

[00:19:38] But, um, I've, I worked my way up. So love for you to share what the benefits are and, um, why we should be doing

[00:19:46] James: Yeah. It's, it's super important to do what you, you did there, which is work your way up, and that's why we've got two temperature settings. We-- Our, our baths sit between-- One system's between three and five degrees, and the other system's between 10 and 12 degrees, just [00:20:00] so that you can work your way up.

[00:20:02] Cold exposure is a shock, uh, which is part of the benefit. it puts you into your kind of parasympathetic nervous system, fight or flight, and that sends endorphins through your body, which is great for your mental health. Like, it kind of clears the mind. It's like pain-- You know, the pain and the shock of it kind of c-clears your mind.

[00:20:23] Uh, but it's really good for reducing inflammation and muscle soreness, so it's, it's a great thing to do if you've just, you know, done a big, big run or you, you exercise a lot. The other, uh, benefit to cold exposure is when it's combined with heat. always a lot easier to get into an ice bath knowing that a 90-degree sauna is on your horizon.

[00:20:46] And, uh, that's because, one, it feels amazing, as you've probably felt before. But the reason being, I mean, part of the reason why it feels amazing is it improves your blood circulation. So going from hot to cold just like is amazing for your blood circulation. It pumps blood through your body That can relieve headaches.

[00:21:05] it works your heart. It's just really good for your, for your body to have, you know, really strong circulation of blood. So, that's the kind-- the contrast therapy side of, of what you can-- the health benefits that you can get at our clubs.

[00:21:20] Kristina: Yeah. Yeah. So for anyone who is, uh, starting out with sauna and, cold immersion, what do you recommend of listening to body? Yes, but then if, if they're fine, what it, is it more beneficial to sit as long as you possibly can and then dip? Or should you say, "Well, let's do five minutes to start with and then dip and then extend?"

[00:21:41] What's, what's your recommendation in terms of... what is the ultimate to aim to get to if people are lucky to be a member of XTRA Club and ha- be, be able to take that time?

[00:21:53] James: Yeah. I think everyone's got their own, like, preference. For me, I like doing [00:22:00] a longer session at the start, uh, and then kind of pulling it back as my s- as I go towards the end of the session. So I usually start with like 15 minutes in the sauna and then three to five minutes in the ice bath, and then in my next round I'll do more, more like 12 minutes in the sauna and then one or two minutes in the ice bath.

[00:22:21] And then I, depending on what time of day it is and what I'm doing next, I choose whether I finish on a sauna or an ice bath. If it's nighttime, I finish on the sauna so that I like, you know, lowers the heart rate and kind of gets me ready for bed. If I, um, have-- you know, if it's the start of the day and I've got something that I wanna do next that I, I wanna be alert for, I finish on the ice bath.

[00:22:44] I'd say, you know, ultimate is trying to do a few rounds of contrast therapy, um, and doing it to the maximum that your body feels comfortable in. That could extend, you know, to up to 20 minutes for some people in the sauna, up to five minutes in the ice bath for some people, and it could be, you know, 10 minutes in the sauna and one minute in the ice bath for others.

[00:23:07] but yeah, for me, I've found three rounds,

[00:23:09] you know, you, you leave feeling pretty incredible.

[00:23:12] Kristina: Yeah, So for people who are members, what-- and you have all the four options, and you have all the time that you need to do all of it, what order should-- I know that this again will be a preference for, but what is-- what do you think is ideal?

[00:23:28] Anthony: Uh, look, my ideal session, uh, if I'm taking my time, and really-- and not feeling like I need to, be at something after, is 15 minutes in the sauna, two to three minutes in the, in the, uh, three-degree ice bath. and bear in mind, like I've been doing this for two and a half years now, so I don't necessarily recommend everybody does it this way And then going to the steam room for 15.

[00:23:51] I find as soon as I come out of the ice baths, I, I lie on the, in the steam room on the tiles, kind of zone out completely, and I can be in there for [00:24:00] 15 minutes and, and because it's not, the temperature's not as intense, I can stay for longer. then I'll go back to the ice bath, and then determine between how I'm feeling, whether I do an infrared or another, traditional and finish on an ice bath.

[00:24:13] And it's always two to three minutes, um, in the bath. sometimes one, depending if I'm not up to it. Um, but that for me is what I'd love everybody to experience at Extra is, is 'cause I feel like I walk away with the dopamine release that, you know, Dr. Rhonda Patrick talks about it as well, you know, in that study, is that with cold water immersion, it's about a two and a half times, normal release of increased release of, of dopamine.

[00:24:39] And like that, the dopamine response is to feel and, and makes you link-- feel motivated, uh, improves your, your mood and it, it, it drives you. so if I'm ever feeling overwhelmed, that's the feeling I wanna, I wanna leave with, is that, that massive release of, um... and renewed drive.

[00:24:59] Kristina: Yeah. Yeah. And also I think, um, in, uh, you guys are tech guys, so obviously spending a lot of time in front of screens, and I think most of us do. to be able to, to go to a sauna where you actually, you don't have screens and you, um, you actually have to be with your own thoughts and, uh, and i-in a, in a challenging environment as well.

[00:25:21] So I think, um, I think there's nothing better mentally than having a sauna because you just, you just... Not much you can do more than kind of thinking, "How am I gonna get through this?" If, if you, if you're kind of challenging that is, um, you get better at it. But, um, Simon, what's your ideal, um, uh, what's your ideal kind of ritual?

[00:25:42] Simon: My, mine's pretty, pretty similar to Anthony's. I know I usually go and sit in the traditional sauna for, you know, 15 minutes, sometimes 20 minutes. I'll jump in an ice bath. I'll probably do that twice, um, and then finish, finish in the steam room or on an ice bath. But like James said, like if I'm going to bed, [00:26:00] I'll finish not in the ice bath if it's like an evening session for me.

[00:26:05] If it's in the morning or during the day, I'll always finish on an ice bath to really get that energized feeling to carry out the rest of the day You know, it's interesting you s- you talk about, you know, sitting in the sauna and not having much to, you know, no screen and no device in front of you, which is, which is such a great experience in this day and age.

[00:26:24] But we also, all three of us often send group-- like a message to the, to, to our group chat with the three of us of a sauna thought. You know, we sit in these saunas for, you know, twenty minutes and this light bulb moment happens. There might be, you know, a realisation of how we tackle a particular issue with the business at the time, or how we deal with a certain situation, and we like to call them sauna thoughts.

[00:26:45] And you know, Anthony had one the other day, which was great. we, and we all share them. So there's definitely that, the ability to switch off from, from the outside world and just be with your own thoughts in a quiet space sometimes can provide a, a m- a massive moment of clarity, which is another great benefit that's not, you know, necessarily health related.

[00:27:04] It's just an experience benefit from the space

[00:27:08] Kristina: Yeah. I couldn't agree more. I always say that I never ever got my big ideas in front of a screen. It's always, you know, out in nature or, you know, doing something for yourself where there's no distraction. So yeah. And I, I think, um, I did a talk the other day and, uh, they, um, they talked about there's not a lot... and not as many entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs starting businesses in today's world versus many years ago. And I'm, I, I thought... I was really surprised by that because I, I thought there's no, like if, if you have a phone, which most people do, you can start a business really easily compared to when I started my first business.

[00:27:48] And I actually think it's the screens it takes. We get so much dopamine and so much, uh, joy or inspira- inspiration watching other people's lives that some people don't start their own businesses, which I [00:28:00] think is such a shame. So I think s- having more people doing what you guys provide will hopefully help that as well.

[00:28:08] Anthony: I hope so too. I think people though probably make the, the idea of starting a business harder than it needs to be, you know? And, you know, we're all entrepreneurs on this call and you know, you know how much it is. It's just innate that the action of taking the first step is all that needs to n- needs to be done.

[00:28:27] some of the, some of the early steps in this business were almost laughable in, in hindsight. You know, some of the things we did, little events down at Bondi that were slapped together in a day that still got attention and still got us going, and were some of the better stories of, of our journey together are the, are the inf- are the steps of infancy that, that people need to take.

[00:28:50] And you have to have a little bit of, uh, appetite for risk, but not too much just to get started. Because as you say, it is easy to- easier than ever to start. but people do make it more of a mountain in their heads than it probably needs to be.

[00:29:03] Kristina: Uh, I agree. There's a, there's a really great Zig Ziglar quote that I always talk about, "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." And I think if you're gonna be great before you start, like there's-- you don't really become great until you actually take action, and, um, and you don't have to have it all planned out.

[00:29:21] I think, um, especially in this modern world where, you know, you can research. My son, when he started his business, a, a golf apparel business, and now it's casual wear. He, um, within, I think, 48 hours, he had the idea, got the domain name, d- domain name registered, a website built, and contacted someone overseas to could help you.

[00:29:46] He, he did some sketches and designs himself, but he's not a designer, so he kind of just... So he said to me, "Is it worth, risking 10 US dollars with a guy who..." It was in Pakistan, I think, or [00:30:00] somewhere, that could help him kind of transform his designs into, to, um, files that were ready for print. And I said, "Yeah, I think it's worth 10 US dollars to risk that."

[00:30:11] And it was out of his savings, and he was lucky that that worked out. And, um, it's been absolutely fascinating to, uh... So I had, a business where we h- sat with millions of dollars in stock, and that's something I never wanna do again because that was really, cash flow-wise, it was just always something on my shoulder.

[00:30:29] So I don't wanna do that again. Now we print on demand, so with today's tech- technology, we create journals and we print on demand, so it's amazing. But Axel, uh, he is, um, he now calls from school and ask if I can bring it home because there's a delivery from China. But I, I find that sort of fun to watch, um, him being able to do that while he's at school.

[00:30:51] So, uh, I think for anyone listening, um, sometimes we overthink that we, you know, we, we never n- we never need to know all the things that happens, you know, in a few months' time because you learn by, by doing and eventually get there. And you guys know all about that, no doubt.

[00:31:08] Anthony: Yeah, I think Simon actually would have a really good, perspective on this because Si and I had talked for years about wanting to get into business together. And there was this one dinner that we were having, and it wasn't even about Extra at all. And I had built the financial model. James and I were already like deep in it.

[00:31:27] Uh, and we knew we needed somebody that had construction experience 'cause we're building something for the first time. We're software guys. We know how to build software, but we don't know how to build fit outs, right? And so talking to Si, he's had, um, decades of experience in project management, showed him the, the financial model, and I was like, "Maybe this is the one we can do together."

[00:31:47] But of course, he had a full-time job, so he had to take a pretty big risk. Si, do you wanna speak to that?

[00:31:53] Kristina: [00:32:00] that

[00:32:42] Simon: you know, as my dad said to me, he's like, "You sure you wanna do this?" And everything like that And, you know, it, it, it worked out As I said, uh, you know, like before, just... sometimes you've just gotta make that leap and you've just gotta give it a try.

[00:32:55] You know, you've, you've got to start to be great. So, um, it was, uh, something I always wanted to do, and so far it's, it's, it's worked out

[00:33:04] Kristina: worked out and then didn't work out, even if it, if things becomes challenging along the way, which, you know, happens to all businesses, it's all learning. And I don't think... So I, uh, I love the, um, Arianna Huffington, uh, "Failure is not the opposite of success. It's the steppingstone to success."

[00:33:26] And hopefully, anyone listening and you guys, there would b- not be the ultimate failure that I had m- that's, um, we had private equity involved, and it was a little bit, um, unfortunate timing with COVID and about to sell the business. But, um, and that was awful. But now I'm in a new business starting again with all the learning.

[00:33:48] So regardless of what happens for anyone listening starting your business, it's, uh, it's never wasted as long as you learn from it and you, you know, you can start again and, um- And that's one thing that we [00:34:00] never lose, the, the, the learnings and the investments that we do in ourselves. And that's including, um, investing in, um, saunas and wellness because, is the saddest thing with entrepreneurs is that we-- a lot of people get burnt out.

[00:34:15] And, um, that's why I think uh, Club is fantastic for entrepreneurs who needs to have that space in between the amazing ideas and the amazing work.

[00:34:25] Anthony: Yeah. Well said. Thank you. and busy mums and busy dads and young pe- and young people wanting to, get started. Um, we're, you know, we're for everybody, and we find our cohort is a really, beautiful mix of the Australian population

[00:34:39] Kristina: Yeah, absolutely. And I, I think that, like, wellness is such a, uh, you know, in Australia, it's such a part of everyday life, um, you know, more of, more or less for, for different people, of course. But I, I think, um, we're so lucky to live in a country where we, we're encouraged to, to live a healthy life and, and you know, work-life balance, um, as much as, you know, I don't believe in the work-life balance in a perfect balance, but having the option to do it.

[00:35:06] So I would love to, uh, ask you guys if you have a morning ritual. So I always ask my guests if they have a morning ritual, and it doesn't have to be a perfect one. So if you don't have a, you know, 4:00 a.m. start with your going to Extra Clubs, that's absolutely fine. Um, so I'd love to hear from all of you if you have a morning ritual, how you start the day to kind of set yourself up.

[00:35:31] James: Sai actually does start at 4:00 AM.

[00:35:37] Simon: Yeah. I'm up at, I'm up at about 4:40 every morning, go to the gym, come home, make myself a nice hearty meal, get changed, shower, and I love to get into the office by, you know, like 7:00, 6:30, 7:00, between there. It's just the, my time in the morning where there's no distractions. I feel great after exercising, you know, and I've fueled, [00:36:00] have my coffee, and that first two hours is, is glory to me.

[00:36:05] It's when I get most of my work done and have the most clarity, and I do it every day because it makes me feel good. You know, getting up at 4:40, people go, "Why would you do that?" And s- and yes, sometimes you wake up and go, "Ugh." But it's more I know how good that makes me feel for the rest of the day, and it's just so worth it.

[00:36:23] But that-- Some people will say it's crazy, but that, that's, that's my, my morning

[00:36:28] Kristina: Oh, no. I agree. I think-- I don't think it's crazy, but a lot of people do think it's crazy. I love morning too, and, um, it's the best part of the day. I almost feel sad for people who miss the mornings 'cause I think it's the, the best time to kind of utilize our head. But, but I think also, I do go to bed early, so I think that you can't burn the candle in both ends for, well, for a while, but maybe not for a long time.

[00:36:51] So I love, I love that. So that's a good, that's a good start. Do you wanna add, add to that, James? Where, what, what do you do in the morning?

[00:36:59] James: Yeah, good. I mean, I love the morning too, but just like I prefer to get up when it's like not pitch black. I'm up usually around 6:00 and I usually start the day either with the gym. I got a gym in my garage, so just walk downstairs and do a workout, and then a swim after that, or I go for a surf.

[00:37:20] This morning I went for a surf, which was lovely at Bondi. so yeah, I, I balance it in one of those two ways some-- or I do yoga depending on what it is. But pretty much I just need to move my body first thing in the morning, in, in one of those ways. And then I, yeah, have a, have a good meal, healthy meal, and then get started with the day.

[00:37:39] I'm usually in the office around 9:00, 9:00, 9:30. and I'm a bit of a slower start, but, uh, I make sure I get there energized and ready to go. These two make me look bad, but I swear I work hard. I just don't work as hard as them for some reason.

[00:37:56] Kristina: No, there's no such thing as bad. It's whatever suits you. It's your [00:38:00] life. And, uh, yeah, absolutely. And we all need to listen to what we like to do. So however you do it, adds me.

[00:38:07] Anthony: Yeah, look, I'm an early start. usually around 5:00. so Sai beats me just slightly. But, um, the mornings are for my kids. I don't get a lot of time with them. We, we've got a lot on the go, so I, I make them breakfast. Actually, recently I've started working out with them because we've got a gym at home.

[00:38:24] So they'll come outside and, in their kapotles, which is, uh, their like, gowns, and they'll watch, they'll watch me and my wife do a, a gym session, which has kind of been beautiful, right? It's like my wife keeps saying it's monkey see, monkey do. You know, they'll, they'll, they'll, uh, grow up wanting to do it as well.

[00:38:41] so yeah, it's family time. It's family time. 'Cause I don't get home early enough for dinner most nights. So if I can make them breakfast, that puts a smile on my face.

[00:38:50] Kristina: Yeah, absolutely. So I share mine because it, it includes Xtra Club. So, uh, I get up early and then I meditate, and then I, um, I go for a walk. So I, I'm an introvert, so I like that space with no, no input and no like, um... You know, there's seasons where I go, you know, to yoga class, et cetera, but currently I just love nature walking.

[00:39:15] I feel like that's where my ideas comes, and I love seeing the sunrise. I, I don't know, it's-- I feel like such a privilege. And if you had a challenging day before, I think that's always a great way of seeing it. You know, the sun always comes up regardless of what's happening in the world. Uh, but then on my way back, I, I go via X-Xtra Club, and obviously you guys just opened, so this is a new, new routine and, uh, planned out.

[00:39:40] And, um, my plan is to have a couple of ice baths before I actually have my first coffee. So, and then I'll go home and then, um, I do, um, my, um, uh, workout a little bit later. But that's my, my start and I'm very excited. I'm very grateful to you guys opening in my, my hood. So thank you.

[00:39:59] James: What's your [00:40:00] rou-- Kristina, what's your routine at the club? What do you do? What's

[00:40:03] Kristina: So yeah, it was interesting because I have started, um... I love steam and I haven't done steam. You know, if I go to a health retreat, I love steam because I don't sweat naturally very much. So I love-- I always feel like that's a good detox. So I start with steam. That's why I was curious on if there was a particular way.

[00:40:22] So I actually start with the steam because I feel like that's, um, a really nice way of just getting started. And then I do Finnish sauna. So I do two rounds depend-- it de- it depends on, but maybe probably 10 to 15 minutes. I, I used to actually, uh, when I started doing, um, sauna when I was injured, I actually sat for much longer 'cause I, I do love a long sauna.

[00:40:46] But I have changed that a little bit now, and I might change that again. But now I do two sessions and then if I... So my plan is actually because now I, I have, um, a membership where I can go back, and so my plan is actually to, uh, do an infrared sauna before bed. Uh, not every night, but that's my plan. But, um, since I joined, I have been doing, um, Finnish with a infrared sauna for 30 minutes.

[00:41:14] James: So you do morning and then you come back at night and you do infrared at night?

[00:41:17] Kristina: haven't, I haven't done the night one yet, but that's my plan because you guys just opened and,

[00:41:22] James: Yeah.

[00:41:23] Kristina: Um, but that-- And I, and, and I, I work Monday nights, I couldn't do it last night, but that's my plan for tonight. So... And I didn't actually go. I would have gone this morning, but I, I always come home as a beetroot.

[00:41:34] And then I thought maybe I'll just, um, I'll do my... So I'm gonna, um-- that's gonna be my treat, um, this morning to when I finish here, I'm gonna go down and do my normal, and then I think tonight I'll go back and do an infrared sauna. I just love, uh, my ki- both my kids are away at the moment, and, uh, Paul are working.

[00:41:54] Uh, he has an AI business, so he works, you know, day and night. And so I feel like that's a great way of [00:42:00] finishing the day.

[00:42:00] James: Nice.

[00:42:01] Kristina: Yeah. All right. I just want to finish with one question. Have you guys read a book that-- a nonfiction book that had a big impact on your life or something you really enjoyed reading?

[00:42:16] Anthony: " Good to Great," Jim Collins.

[00:42:18] Kristina: Yeah.

[00:42:19] Anthony: Massive impact

[00:42:21] Kristina: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Such a great, great book. He just came out with a new book. Did you know that?

[00:42:26] Anthony: yeah.

[00:42:27] Kristina: Yeah. Yeah. I haven't either, but I ordered it.

[00:42:30] Anthony: Yeah.

[00:42:31] Kristina: Yeah, he's fantastic.

[00:42:33] James, do you have one?

[00:42:35] James: Yeah, I mean, if we're talking business, I'd say start with "Why," Simon Sinek.

[00:42:39] I just recently read also, uh, Matthew McConaughey's "Greenlights," which I really liked. That was just like a bit of fun and just, I think he's, he's a pretty good, um, figure to look at for like how you can be an entrepreneur in a kind of way that's not traditional, I guess, and just like follow the positive track and yeah, take the green lights.

[00:43:04] So I enjoyed that.

[00:43:05] Kristina: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Love that. Simon?

[00:43:09] Simon: I'm not the biggest reader, um, but I think I can... Uh, look, I read, um, Phil Knight's Shoe Dog and kind of thinking about that in relation to the Xtra journey. You know, Phil Knight, his early team were obsessed with running and obsessed with shoes, and it really was pivotal to, to the business's success.

[00:43:31] And I think with Xtra, you know, the three of us and, and pretty much all of our staff, all of our staff are obsessed with saunaring. That's a perk that they have. They can obviously use the club whenever they want, and they do. And we do do fortnightly sauna sessions with the, with the leaders of the company and actually all of our, all of our employees as well.

[00:43:50] So I think I can draw parallels between that, and I think it is why we have had such a great run today is 'cause we love the product and everyone that [00:44:00] works for us loves the product.

[00:44:01] Kristina: Yeah, absolutely. It has certainly come across by the communication that I've had with your team. They're all very passionate, which is of course very important and, um, much easier to have, great employees if they love what you do because then they have the, the love for the product and then passionate about it and so much easier to, to sell and, um, enjoy it as well.

[00:44:25] Fantastic. Well, thank you so much. This has been so inspiring. I hope everyone listening are really inspired to start sauna or doing more sauna and then, uh, and cold plunge and steams and, um, if you are lucky to be in a country or a city where Xtra Club will be opening, it sounds like everyone will be fortunate to have that soon.

[00:44:46] And, uh, so we're gonna link to all, um, to all the clubs and, um, thank you guys. I know you have a very full schedule, so I'm super grateful that you came on I can't wait to, um, follow the journey. and, uh, I wish you all the best. Thank you so much.

[00:45:02] Anthony: Thank you,

[00:45:03] Simon: you

[00:45:04] Kristina: Thank

[00:45:05] Wow, that was so inspiring. I hope you are inspired to seek out Xtra Club. What I want to leave with you today is this, we talk a lot in the Dream Life community about clarity, how to get it, how to keep it, how to make better decisions from a place of calm rather than chaos. And what I heard today is that there are practices, simple, ancient, powerful practices that can help us get there faster.

[00:45:35] I will link to the Xtra Club in the show notes, and I really hope that there is one opening, if not already open, in where you live because it really is a fantastic place. Before I go, I wanna leave you with one question. Write it down today if you can. What is one thing you could add to your week, not take away, just add, [00:46:00] that would give you more clarity, more calm, more presence?

[00:46:04] Maybe it's sauna and a cold plunge, or a steam, or an infrared sauna. Because your dream life is not built in the rush, it's built in the moments when you are clear. Thank you so much for being here today. As always, I'll be back on Monday with another Monday Motivation episode.

[00:46:25] I'll see you then.

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Back to PODCASTS - YOUR DREAM LIFE with KRISTINA KARLSSON

Explore more

Share this